Unite the Right Rally, Counterprotesters Descend on DC

A year after a deadly gathering of white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, the principal organizer of 2017's "Unite the Right" event scheduled a so-called white civil rights rally some 115 miles away in Washington D.C. Counterprotesters descended on the city as well, and police prepared to keep violence at bay.

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Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Metro Police form a protective phalanx around participants in the white supremacist Unite the Right rally as they march to the White House Aug. 12, 2018, in Washington, D.C.
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Aliya Jasmine
Metro Police form a protective phalanx around participants in the white supremacist Unite the Right rally as they march to the White House Aug. 12, 2018, in Washington, D.C.
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Mariela Patron
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (in red) monitors the Unite the Right rally at the Joint Operations Command Center.
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Mariela Patron
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KNBC-TV
A crowd of counterprotesters are gathered at Freedom Plaza.
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David Walsh
Counterprotesters are holding signs on their march to Freedom Plaza.
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Paula Bienenfeld
Counterprotestors are gathered across from the White House in Lafayette Park.
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Andrew Elmer
A group of counterprotesters on their way to Lafayette Park.
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NBC Connecticut
A crowd of counterprotesters are marching to Lafayette Park.
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KNBC-TV
Fairfax County Police escort white supremacists as they walk toward the Vienna/Fairfax GMU Metro Station to travel by train to the White House for the Unite the Right rally Aug. 12, 2018, in Vienna, Virginia.
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Christine Kim
Surrounded by his supporters, reporters and Fairfax County Police, Jason Kessler walks toward the Vienna/Fairfax GMU Metro Station to travel by train to the White House for his white supremacist "Unite the Right" rally, Aug. 12, 2018, in Vienna, Virginia.
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Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
A man wears a "TRUMP" hat as he and his fellow white supremacists walk toward the Vienna/Fairfax GMU Metro Station to travel by train to the White House for the Unite the Right rally Aug. 12, 2018, in Vienna, Virginia.
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Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
A "White Lives Matter" supporter and his fellow white supremacists gather outside the Vienna/Fairfax GMU Metro Station before traveling by train to the White House for the Unite the Right rally Aug. 12, 2018, in Vienna, Virginia.
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Getty Images
Fairfax County Police arrest one demonstrator outside the Vienna/Fairfax GMU Metro Station after the Unite the Right participants entered the station before traveling to the White House Aug. 12, 2018, in Vienna, Virginia. It was not clear who the person arrested was supporting.
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NBC Washington
Signs like this line the roads to the Vienna, Virginia, Metro station, where Unite the Right demonstrators catch the train into D.C.
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NBC Washington
Heavy police presence at the Vienna, Virginia, Metro station. The north parking garage is closed.
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Police gather at the Foggy Bottom metro station in anticipation of the planned Unite the Right rally in Washington D.C., Aug. 12, 2018.
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SegravesNBC4
Police and counterprotesters gather at the Foggy Bottom metro station in anticipation of the planned Unite the Right rally in Washington D.C., Aug. 12, 2018.
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Scott Gelman/NBCWashington
Counterprotesters gather at Freedom Plaza before the Unite the Right rally in Lafayette Park on Aug. 12, 2018, in Washington, DC.
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Getty Images
Police gather in front of the White House ahead of the planned white supremacist Unite the Right rally in Lafayette Park Aug. 12, 2018, in Washington, D.C.
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Scott Gelman/NBCWashington
Signs are laid out as counterprotesters gather at Freedom Plaza ahead of the Unite the Right rally in Lafayette Park across from the White House, Aug. 12, 2018, in Washington, D.C.
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Jose A. Herrera/Telemundo39.com
Counterprotesters gather at Freedom Plaza ahead of the Unite the Right rally in Lafayette Park across from the White House, Aug. 12, 2018, in Washington, D.C.
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JulieCareyNBC
Police gather at the Vienna metro station ahead of the planned Unite the Right rally in Washington, D.C., Aug. 12, 2018.
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Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Police create a barrier in front of counterprotesters in anticipation of the arrival of Unite the Right demonstrators at the Vienna metro station in Washington, D.C., Aug. 12, 2018.
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EDUARDO ORBEA/TELEMUNDO LOCAL
Counterprotesters gather ahead of the planned Unite the Right rally in Washington, D.C., Aug. 12, 2018.
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Getty Images
Counterprotesters gather ahead of the planned Unite the Right rally in Washington, D.C., Aug. 12, 2018.
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Getty Images
Counterprotesters gather ahead of the planned Unite the Right rally in Washington, D.C., Aug. 12, 2018.
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Bloomberg via Getty Images
Counter-protesters chant while holding American flags during the Unite the Right 2 rally in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Sunday, Aug. 12, 2018. The rally, being held in Lafayette Park near White House, marks the one-year anniversary of the Charlottesville, Virginia, rally where a car driven into a crowd of counter protesters killed 32-year-old Heather Heyer. Photographer: Aaron P. Bernstein/Bloomberg via Getty Images
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Getty Images
Counter protesters march from Freedom Plaza to Lafayette Park before the Unite the Right rally on August 12, 2018 in Washington, DC. Thousands of protesters are expected to demonstrate against the 'white civil rights' rally, which was planned by the organizer of last year's deadly rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.(Photo by Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images)
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Getty Images
Counter protesters march from Freedom Plaza to Lafayette Park before the Unite the Right rally on August 12, 2018 in Washington, DC. Thousands of protesters are expected to demonstrate against the 'white civil rights' rally, which was planned by the organizer of last year's deadly rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.(Photo by Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images)
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NBC 4 New York
Counter protesters and members of the Antifa and Blac Bloc burn a Confederate battle flag on the east of Lafayette Square where the white supremacist Unite the Right rally is being held August 12, 2018 in Washington, DC. Thousands of protesters are expected to demonstrate against the "white civil rights" rally in Washington, which was planned by the organizer of last year's deadly rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
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